Rise and Fall: A Study of Joshua and Judges (The Destruction of Jericho - Joshua 5:13–6:21)

Their entry into the land didn’t end the triumphs and trials faced by the Israelites. After entering the land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, they faced the challenges of conquering the inhabitants and establishing themselves. During this fifteen-session series, we’re considering the rise and the fall of the Israelites as they take possession of their promised land. We’ll address the following:

• Session 1 - Preparing the Conquest (Joshua 1:1–2:24)
• Session 2 - Crossing the Jordan (Joshua 3:1–5:12)
• Session 3 - The Destruction of Jericho (Joshua 5:13–6:21)
• Session 4 - Achan, Ai and Ebal (Joshua 7:1–8:35)
• Session 5 - Turning South (Joshua 9:1–10:43)
• Session 6 - Turning North (Joshua 11:1–12:24)
• Session 7 - Mission Accomplished (Joshua 22:1–24:33)
• Session 8 - From Success to Failure (Judges 1:1–3:6)
• Session 9 - Model Judges (Judges 3:7–5:31)
• Session 10 - The Timid Judge (Judges 6:1–8:3)
• Session 11 - Flirting with Kingship (Judges 8:4–10:1-5)
• Session 12 - A Tragic Vow (Judge 10:6–12:15)
• Session 13 - The Last Judge (Judge 13:1–16:31)
• Session 14 - Rapid Decline (Judges 17:1–18:31)
• Session 15 - Chaos (Judges 19:1–21:25)

During our third discussion, we looked at the destruction of Jericho (Joshua 5:13–6:21). A recording of the discussion and the passage are below: 

Joshua 5:13–6:21

Once when Joshua was by Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing before him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you one of us, or one of our adversaries?” He replied, “Neither; but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and he said to him, “What do you command your servant, my lord?” The commander of the army of the Lord said to Joshua, “Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy.” And Joshua did so.

Now Jericho was shut up inside and out because of the Israelites; no one came out and no one went in. The Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have handed Jericho over to you, along with its king and soldiers. You shall march around the city, all the warriors circling the city once. Thus you shall do for six days, with seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, the priests blowing the trumpets. When they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, as soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and all the people shall charge straight ahead.”

So Joshua son of Nun summoned the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant, and have seven priests carry seven trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark of the Lord.” To the people he said, “Go forward and march around the city; have the armed men pass on before the ark of the Lord.” As Joshua had commanded the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the Lord went forward, blowing the trumpets, with the ark of the covenant of the Lord following them. And the armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets; the rear guard came after the ark, while the trumpets blew continually. To the people Joshua gave this command: “You shall not shout or let your voice be heard, nor shall you utter a word, until the day I tell you to shout. Then you shall shout.” So the ark of the Lord went around the city, circling it once; and they came into the camp, and spent the night in the camp. Then Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord passed on, blowing the trumpets continually. The armed men went before them, and the rear guard came after the ark of the Lord, while the trumpets blew continually. On the second day they marched around the city once and then returned to the camp. They did this for six days. On the seventh day they rose early, at dawn, and marched around the city in the same manner seven times. It was only on that day that they marched around the city seven times. And at the seventh time, when the priests had blown the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city.

The city and all that is in it shall be devoted to the Lord for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall live because she hid the messengers we sent. As for you, keep away from the things devoted to destruction, so as not to covet and take any of the devoted things and make the camp of Israel an object for destruction, bringing trouble upon it. But all silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are sacred to the Lord; they shall go into the treasury of the Lord.” So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpets, they raised a great shout, and the wall fell down flat; so the people charged straight ahead into the city and captured it. Then they devoted to destruction by the edge of the sword all in the city, both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys.